Why do people vote for populists

In the last years, Europeans tend to elect extremists. Most of the time far right authoritarian parties.

But why do people vote for populists?

In this article, I try to find the reasons why people vote for parties, that want to destroy democracy and are often direct descendants of fascist parties.

These parties do not have any viable solution for the most pressing problems. Often their policies are bad for their voters, so why do they vote for them?

Why do people vote for populists

First because they are conservative far-right people. I will not excuse people who vote for antidemocratic fascistic parties. They do that in full consciousness. At least, I have to assume that.

People who say, they do this as their form of protest are liars. If it were a protest, they would vote for small parties, that aren’t part of the political establishment for decades.

People who vote for extreme right parties have no problem with Nazis, fascism, racism or any other form of oppression of minorities.

They are the accomplices and supporters of the extremists and are complicit in everything they do.

Extremists voters are afraid

Conservative people are afraid of change. They want everything to stay the same.

If everything changes around, which is inevitably, you get scared, and you want to hinder everything.

When, like now, the whole system starts to crumble, conservative people are in an everlasting state of fear.

They can’t deny the change anymore, which makes them angry. They try to turn the wheel and go back where they have everything in control, even if that means to self-destruct.

It’s like climate change. First they said there is no climate change, then they said climate change is not man-made, and then, ok, it is man-made, but now it is too late to do anything.

They acknowledge some time that things are changing, but at the same time they find an excuse to not change anything.

Extremists are angry

The people are angry because in the last decades they witnessed, how bad and corrupt politicians rise, how billionaires and big companies got bailed out by the public while they themselves have barely something left to live.

They are unsatisfied with the system, and the extremists take these feelings of disappointment and anger and turn it into rage. While other parties fail to reach the people.

Via social media and their own media outlets, they manipulate the people and direct the rage where they want it. Against migrants, greens, or socialists.

Extremists voters search for identity

The gathering in the commentaries of social media are like the new Sunday mess. It gives the people identity and a sense of belonging.

In a world where religion and other ideologies are less important than in the centuries before, identity and community are important.

Humans are social creatures.

Extremists voters are “The old white man”

The older people get, the more they seem to tend to vote right. Because they have to lose so much more. They lived in this system for so much longer. They have themselves arranged with it. Or maybe they have succeeded in it. They are afraid that all will be taken away from them by the migrants, the commies, or the greens.

But although they vote right, they seem not to vote extreme right. At least less than the rest. Perhaps because the extreme right would also mean change.

While it is true, that if you are a middle age man, with a below-average income, and education living in the countryside, the chances are high you’ll be one of the extremists, the gender, and the age gaps are closing.

Still, young women vote less extreme and more left than their fellow males. That’s because extreme right parties are often sexist. As is the current system, which is getting slightly better for women, but the changes are not fast enough.

For boys on the other side, changes seem to happen too fast.

Education, for example. There have been changes in the education system in the last decades. It’s not good enough, but school has changed. Now it is much more tailored for girls to succeed. Not by plan, it just happens that girls can better adapt to the new system.

Boys get worse in school because they need more authority and structure. Broadly spoken, everyone is different and there are boys who benefit from the changes.

Furthermore, the ideal of a man in a feminist world diverges from what boys see in real life. Politicians, influencers, and footballers don’t act like this.

They tell the young boys, that the insert most convenient enemy take away their privileges. It maybe true that in a more equal society, men will have fewer privileges they only got because of their sex. For society as a whole, this is much better.

But here again the fear of losing is a big trigger to vote for extremists.

It’s easy.

The world is complicated. So many crises. Foreigners everywhere. Man are not man anymore. You have to make your own identity. Wouldn’t it be nice if there were an easy solution?

Well, luckily there are the populists and extremists, who have one for you. There are no crises. If you are white and Christian, you are good enough. Climate crisis is a lie. Don’t think about it. The others are wrong. Stay the same.

The extremists don’t want you to think. They define what’s good and what’s bad. You have nothing to do. There is only black and white. No spectrum. When the world is overwhelming, this is so pleasant.

Of course, you vote for these parties.

Conclusion

We know now, why people vote for populists. What can we do, that fewer people vote for extremists? What can we do to convince people that a better system is possible?

First listen to them. Make them feel heard, and part of a group. Make them clear, that it’s okay to be upset, you are too.

Then tell and show them the problems of the current system and why extremists only worsen this. Abstract facts, science papers and memes on social media won’t do the trick. We have to make them clear how it is bad for them personally.

That’s why there is no one size fits all. It will mean something different for your uncle than for your classmate.

Afterward, tell and show them how they benefit of the good system. Communicate the vision.

Don’t be paternalistic and educational. Be friendly and listen to what they have to say.

At the same time, make them clear, that there is no place for hate and the oppression of minorities. If you realize that they are far-right extremists through and through, don’t waste your time and energy. Some people won’t ever be convinced, but the majority will. Focus on them.

This is hard work, and you may feel like Sisyphus. I also can’t promise you, that it will be successful. That’s the deal for not being an extremist.

They are a powerful enemy, they have the money and the media. All we have is the majority. Because please keep in mind, we are always more and at last we always win. The only question is at what cost.

Ian DeBay

My name is Ian DeBay.

I am the founder of iandebay.com. I am a content creator, blogger, podcast, YouTuber. This is my blog where I talk about system change, sustainability and other fun stuff.